Cognitive Psychology
The study of mental processes reveals unique human capacities—abstract thought, self-awareness, moral reasoning—that challenge purely evolutionary explanations and point to the imago Dei.
Moral Cognition
Humans possess innate moral intuitions that appear cross-culturally. We don't just prefer certain behaviors—we judge them as right or wrong, obligatory or forbidden.
Jonathan Haidt's research identifies universal moral foundations that appear across cultures. These intuitions are not learned from scratch but emerge naturally, suggesting they are part of our cognitive architecture.
- Moral Foundations: Research identifies universal moral intuitions: care/harm, fairness/cheating, loyalty/betrayal, authority/subversion, sanctity/degradation. These appear cross-culturally.
- Moral Realism: We experience moral truths as objective—not mere preferences or conventions. 'Torturing innocents for fun is wrong' seems true in a way that 'chocolate is tasty' does not.
- Guilt and Conscience: The universal experience of guilt suggests objective moral standards. Guilt is not just fear of punishment but recognition of genuine wrongdoing.
- Moral Motivation: We are motivated by moral considerations even against self-interest. People sacrifice for strangers, die for principles. This transcends evolutionary self-interest.
The Imago Dei
Human cognitive uniqueness supports theistic anthropology. The Christian doctrine of the imago Dei—that humans are made in God's image—explains our unique capacities.
If we are made in the image of a rational, moral, conscious God, we would expect to find rationality, morality, and consciousness in humans. This is exactly what we find—and what naturalism struggles to explain.
- Imago Dei: Human rationality reflects the divine image—we are made to know truth. Our capacity for abstract thought mirrors the divine Logos.
- Moral Awareness: Conscience reflects divine moral law written on human hearts. We know the good because we are made by the Good.
- Transcendence: Our capacity to think beyond the physical points to non-physical aspects of mind. We can contemplate eternity because we are made for eternity.
- Dignity and Worth: Human cognitive uniqueness grounds human dignity. We are not just clever animals but bearers of the divine image, with inherent worth and rights.